There have been many different types and kinds of devices used in assisting the wheel alignment of vehicles. For example, reference may be made to U.S. Pat No. 4,651,431.
The device disclosed in the foregoing patent, is attachable to a wheel strut assembly of the vehicle, in place of the vehicle's wheel, to help support the vehicle during a wheel alignment operation. The alignment device supports either a camber adjustment gauge, or a toe gauge. The alignment device is adjustable in its height, to accommodate different vehicles. For this purposes, a base in the form of an elongated block, is pivotally mounted in an off-center manner for enabling it to be positioned with different ones of its faces directed downwardly, to adjust the overall height of the device to accommodate a given vehicle.
While such an alignment device has been successful in its manner of operation, it would be desirable to have an improved version of the device, which would enable it to assist in the wheel aligning operation in the camber adjustment operation, so that it can be performed in an even faster manner. In this regard, for at least some vehicles, when a vehicle wheel is not true, it will wobble when rotated. Therefore, a conventional mounting arm is ordinarily used to be attached to the device for adjustably positioning the camber adjustment gauge.
When using the patented wheel aligning device for wheel alignment, the vehicle wheel must first be removed, and the alignment device fastened to the strut assembly over the axial hub, to help support the vehicle. A conventional camber gauge having magnets mounted in its base, is attached magnetically to the end face of the axle hub. However, due to the irregular shape of the worn hub, the gauge is frequently not firmly attached in place. Therefore, a mounting arm is used on the wheel aligning device.
In such an operation, a conventional mounting arm is attached to the patented alignment device for supporting the camber adjustment gauge. The vehicle is then elevated, so that the wheel can be rotated to zero the camber adjustment gauge. In this regard, due to wobble, the camber adjustment gauge must be adjusted positionally by the mounting arm to adjust for wobble. Thereafter, the vehicle is then lowered to the ground, so that the wheel alignment portion of the operation can commence in a conventional manner.
Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have an improved wheel aligning device, which can eliminate the need to zero the camber adjustment gauge, without the use of a mounting arm.
Since an alignment device is used, for example, on both front wheels, if the devices are not both set to the same height adjustment, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to perform a proper alignment of the wheels of the vehicle. In any event, in such a situation, a great loss of time can result. When the mistake is first discovered, the alignment procedure must be repeated unnecessarily from the beginning. Thus, it would be highly desirable to have a technique for preventing, or at least greatly alleviating, such a problem.
Therefore, it would also be desirable to have an improved wheel aligning device, of the type having a vertical height adjustment, wherein the chance of setting improperly the height adjustment is greatly reduced, if not totally eliminated.